THE FREE SPEECH CASE STUDY - PART ONE
Submit as a "New Post" to the FREE SPEECH CASE STUDY FORUM

The University Student Association's Speakers and Issues Committee at your college has announced that is has signed a contract to bring a famous white supremacist to speak at the student union. He is being paid $12,000 plus expenses and is expected to bring in a large crowd.

The speaker is the head of a group called the White People's Militia. It is believed that this group is responsible for hate crimes across the western U.S., including hateful graffiti, Physical disruption of Martin Luther King Day remembrances, and several instances of unprovoked beating of black people. The speaker advocates forced removal of African-American, native American, Hispanic-American, and Asian-American peoples from Montana, Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming.

He has also spoken regularly about how he and his movement declared themselves immune to local, state, and national laws. Some members of his group have had violent clashes with local law enforcement authorities and violence has occasionally broken out at his appearances.

Describe what actions you would take to support or attack the decision to bring in this speaker. Be sure to address the issue of freedom of speech. Is it absolute? What have the courts decided? Discuss freedom of speech in the context of social responsibility.

After careful study of the scenario above, review the textbook, your notes, and use the WWW Search feature of this Web to construct your best answer. After serious reflection and critical thought, go to your Word Processor and type at least a three page response. Do not use just opinion, feelings, or you own personal beliefs. Site facts, cases, court decisions, laws, or other generally accepted documentation. When satisfied that your response represents your best legal and ethical views, Select and copy your text and click on the "Go To Discussion Forum" button below and Paste your response there. Post as a New Topic to the Discussion Forum Below. Be sure to post to the Civil Rights discussion forum. Be sure that you are registered with your first and last name as your user name for grading purposes.

PART TWO
Submit as a "Reply" to any other students posting for the above assignment

Return to the Threaded Discussion and respond with a one page summary of your thoughts about the way one particular student resolved the situation. Your response may be to a posting that you think is particularly appropriate and insightful, or to a posting that you find problematic. If you are posting a negative response, use only the kind of criticism you would reserve for a close friend. Post as a "REPLY" to the Discussion Forum link below.

Go To Discussion Forum